On Fire
by AHigherOctave
Summary: Season 4 redo. Jess comes back, Rory runs away. And noone else has any clue what's happening especially when there's a new diner boy showing up to take his place. Chapter two is up.
1. Tell You Where You Need To Go

**AN: **My take on season four, so naturally, it will be semi-Lit and probably a lot more Java Junkie. It has the same dialogue and everything until the scene where Luke tells Lorelai he and Nicole are married, which in this universe, they aren't. Anyway, hope you enjoy.

Chapter 1- Tell You Where You Need To Go, Tell You Who You Need To Be

Luke and Lorelai were in the front yard of the Gilmore house loading Rory's things into his truck.

"Jeez, you think you go to a fancy school like Yale there'd be a mattress in the room." He complained

"Yeah. Go figure, huh?" She smiled.

"You packed her stuff in Hefty bags?" He sighed, picking one up.

"Hey, she's lucky I even had these in the house." Lorelai said picking one for herself.

"If you needed boxes-"

"Or luggage." She interrupted.

"Why would I have luggage?" He questioned.

"Because you went on a multiple country cruise," She said suspiciously.

"Oh, yeah…" He mumbled.

"Speaking of the cruise, why don't you want to talk about it?" Lorelai continued.

"What do you want to know about the cruise?" He asked with a hint of aggravation.

"See! That's what I want to know! Why do you spaz out every time I bring it up?" She demanded.

"There was just nothing really outstanding about it." He shrugged.

"Did something happen between you and Nicole?" She persisted.

"No." He sighed.

"Did you propose?" Her eyes widened.

"No! I just told you nothing happened!" He shouted.

"Then why won't you talk about it?"

"I didn't go." He admitted.

"Alright." She said staring at him.

"Alright." He echoed going to get in the truck.

"Why not?" She quizzed.

He stopped, turned around, looked from her to ground and spoke, "Nicole and I aren't together anymore."

"Oh." Lorelai whispered

"I told her I couldn't go on the cruise and she broke up with me." He explained.

Lorelai walked toward him and began to rub his shoulder. "I'm so sorry."

"I just really couldn't leave him alone." Luke muttered.

The motion on his shoulder stopped as she backed away. "What?"

He looked at the ground as a nicotine addict stares at their cigarette then glanced up at her as his words flew. "Jess came back."

"You let him come back! How could you do that?" She couldn't breathe, nope, where was air? She needed air.

"I didn't 'let him' he just showed up!" Luke stated.

She attempted to catch her breath, "I mean-" Her cell phone rang and she fumbled through her purse to it and looked at the caller ID. "Hold on." She ordered as she picked up the phone. "Hi."

"She's taken me hostage." Rory cried.

"Huh?"

"She's not letting me leave." Her daughter elaborated. "Dinner lasted an hour. She didn't even put the soufflé in the oven until we'd already finished, and now we're watching taped ballroom dancing competitions that date back to the 1800's."

"You didn't leave yet?" Lorelai buried her face in her free hand.

"Are you listening to me? I can't leave. She won't let me leave ever. This is Iran in '79 and you are Jimmy Carter. What do we do?"

"This isn't about you, this is about me." She answered. "I'm coming to get you, okay kid?"

"Okay, but come quickly because she's got a lot of tapes and they rewind really slow." Rory warned.

"I'll be there soon." She hung up and pushed past Luke. "I have to go get Rory."

"Lorelai, please-" Luke began.

"I've gotta go." She murmured getting in the car and driving off as Kirk walked by in a skydiver's outfit, a parachute trailing behind him.

"Strong wind." He offered Luke as he walked.

- -

Meanwhile at the elder Gilmore's mansion, in the den, Emily was putting another tape in the VCR as Rory looked around for a distraction. The tape went in and Emily took a seat on the couch beside Rory.

"Now I think you're really going to see quite a difference from the early eighties. They really start to mix it up in '88." Emily acknowledged.

"Mm hmm," Rory said sleepily.

"Oh, see right there, see that move?" She pointed to the television. "Five years ago it was not allowed. Could've gotten you kicked right out." She smiled excitedly.

"Harsh." Rory nodded attempting to fake enthusiasm.

"Oh, yes." She nodded. "Ballroom dancing can be very harsh. Oh, look. The couple in the purple feathers – that's Corky and Shirley Ballas." Rory wrinkled her nose in disgust at the couple in the ugly costume while her grandmother's attention turned to the screen. "I love them, they are so talented. Corky's actually writing a musical based on their life as ballroom champions, and their son, Corky Jr., is going to play him as a young man."

"Really?" Rory said in her 'ooo, awe' voice. "Two Corky's in one show. Don't see that everyday." When Lorelai walked in.

"Hi." She forced a smile.

"Mom, hey!" Rory said with genuine relief.

"There you two are."

"What are you doing here?" Emily glared.

"Happened to be in the neighborhood, thought I'd check in with the Gilmore's."

"We're watching National Ballroom Dancing competitions." Rory announced looking slightly bitter under her happy cover.

"That sounds delightful," She smiled with a small gasp. "Mind if I join?"

"I don't think you'd enjoy it." Emily replied quickly.

"I don't know about that."

"You missed the beginning." Emily challenged.

"I learn fast." Lorelai kept up.

"Rory, would you go ask Gerta if she would make me some tea?" Emily asked her granddaughter.

"I'd love some." Lorelai grinned as Rory shot her a nervous look while leaving the room. "So, how are you, mom?"

"Well, you obviously weren't just in the neighborhood," Emily snapped. "So why don't you tell me what you're doing here?"

"I came to see you." Lorelai lied.

"You came for Rory." She corrected.

"Mom, she's been here for hours." Lorelai sighed. "Patty Hearst had a shorter incarceration."

Emily glared at her. "She's not being held hostage, Lorelai. I resent that. She's spending time with me, something you obviously don't want to do."

"Mom, I'm sorry I missed dinner." Lorelai apologized.

"Come to dinner, don't come to dinner," She said in an indifferent voice. "It makes no difference to me. You are under no obligation to us any longer."

"I know," Lorelai sighed. "I just-"

"You're very busy, I understand." She lied. "I wouldn't wanna keep you any longer."

"Please let me take Rory home." Lorelai begged.

"Tonight is my night with her." Emily glared.

"You're keeping her just to spite me." Lorelai accused.

"If Rory wants to leave, she can ask." Emily smiled smugly. "She's not a four-year-old."

"She's not going to risk offending you to ask." Lorelai affirmed.

"Why should she?" Emily snorted. "She knows you'll be along any second to do it for her."

"Mom, why do you always make everything so hard?" Lorelai interrogated. "Don't you understand, this is my last night with my daughter! She leaving tomorrow and I _need_ to talk to her!"

"Which is why it surprised me you don't want to spend the evening with her."

"I do!" Lorelai disagreed.

"Than you should have come," Emily stated quietly as Rory came in and looked back and forth between them. "What's going on?"

"Your mother was just leaving." Emily lied.

"Well, if it's alright, I think I should go home." Rory declared.

"But-"

"Night, mom." Lorelai called walking out, Roy behind her.

- -

Early the next morning Rory walked out of her room looking panicked and frantically looking around for Lorelai. She searched realizing she wasn't downstairs, proceeding to go upstairs and look, she still failed to find her. Thus she tried the porch where she found her mother on the steps.

"I need thumbtacks," She cried breathing uneasily. "We forgot them and I could need them and my roommate could be evil and refuse to lend them to me…and I could fail and-"

"Slow down, there, are you sure you don't have thumbtacks?"

"Yes, I checked, six times and I also don't have duct tape but I figure since I have six other types of tape thumbtacks are probably the bigger issue," Rory returned to hyperventilating as soon as she finished her sentence.

"Hun, it's alright, there are stores on the way to Hartford and in Hartford for that matter, we'll get you thumbtacks, and duct tape for that matter." Rory's breathing slowly relaxed. "That all?"

"Yeah," She nodded sitting down next to her. "Why are you up so late?"

"I've just been thinking about…stuff."

"You still worried about Luke's present?" She looked at her daughter and smiled. "Yeah, I can't believe we forgot him."

- - -

"Luke! Luke!" Lorelai yelled banging on the diner door. "Up! Up! Up!"

"We need coffee!" Rory added, Jess's ears perked up at that voice, Lorelai had been screaming for near ten minutes and Luke was in the bathroom grumbling about it but Rory had just started. He poked his head out the window as the consistent commands to open the door sustained. Yep, no doubt it was Rory Gilmore.

"LUKE!" Wow, Lorelai was loud, he grinned as his uncle groaned. "4:55! You have to open before long anyways!" He stuck his window out the window and the yelling seceded as Lorelai stared at him. He withdrew his head before Rory saw him again.

"Oh what a beautiful morning, oh what a beautiful day, I've got a beautiful day, I've got a beautiful everything's going my way," He sang happily.

"I'm guessing Rory's there too," Luke grunted coming out of the bathroom.

"Somebody's Oscar the Grouch this morning." He smirked.

"Somebody's a little too Elmo for his own good." Luke grumbled.

"I'm more of an Ernie type guy," Jess said sarcastically. "Rubber ducky, you're the one, that makes bath time so much fun-"

"What's with the singing?"

"Are you saying I'm tone deaf?" Jess squeaked in fake offence. "Well, off to go work the diner. Zippity doo dah, zippity day, plenty of sunshine coming my way."

"Jess!" He warned. "You know you can't go down there."

"I'm going down there." He called from the stairs.

"Jess!" He shouted running after him. " JESS!"

"Did he just say…?" Rory asked looking at Lorelai.

"I hope to god not." She breathed.

"Jess! Don't you dare!" Jess sped for the door and opened it.

"Hi," He gasped, catching his breath.

"I told you we should have gotten the thumbtacks first!" Rory yelled at her mother.

"Can I talk to you?" Jess asked.

"No." Luke pulled him away.

"Will you get off me?" He rolled his eyes attempting to pull free.

"No." He repeated.

"Luke, let go of him." Lorelai sighed.

"I'm going to get duct tape," Rory excused herself heading down the street.

"She is alright enough to know Doose's is the other way, isn't she?" Luke looked after her.

"Yeah," Lorelai nodded unsurely. "I think she is."


	2. Water Over the Bridge

**AN:** Surprise! Happy Easter! Late Easter…Anywho… Thank you to the few who reviewed and I know the last chapter kinda…okay, REALLY sucked, it should-crosses fingers-be better this time. Enjoy Lits.

Chapter 2-Water Over the Bridge

(Time-The Lorelai's First Day at Yale)

Lorelai blinked, Rory had never been a runner, when had this happened? A few days ago she was complaining about walking a few feet with the Europe backpacks on. Granted, it was probably just to shut her up. Still, wasn't it Jess who was supposed to run away? Jess. It dawned on her; Jess had left Rory and had been dumb enough to come back…And even dumber as to stand right here in front of her. "Hey buddy." She spat and he turned around to look at her, he stared at her blankly for a second and then a flick of realization went off in his eyes.

"I, uh, have to…leave." He shifted from his right foot to his left.

"Well, that's convenient." Lorelai crossed her arms.

"Yeah," He nodded looking tersely at the square. "But really, I should be putting up the chase." He swerved on his heel and Lorelai caught him by the heel of his leather jacket.

"I don't think so, bucko," She barked, pulling him backwards so hard she caused herself to stumble. "I don't want you looking at her, talking to her, and I _definitely_ don't want you chasing after her. Next time think about-"

"Listen," He growled. "If I don't go after her, she'll have all this bottled up emotion and she's leaving for Yale today, if I go after her…" He paused, coughing up the words like acid, "She'll get the chance to yell at me and make herself hate me more and she'll be relatively stress free." Lorelai made a sour face at him and pouted for a minute before looking at him again. Rory _did _have go to Yale and processing Jess there would not be good for her, especially not now, in her first week. And having her yell at him didn't sound like a particularly bad idea.

"Go," She whispered and he ran off, his sneakers sounding against the dirt on the pavement as he disappeared out of sight and all Lorelai had left to glare at was Luke or the ground. The ground had certain appeal, she weighed with no interest, Jess had just been standing on it and it was just his level. On the other hand…Luke would be more fulfilling to take down a peg. Luke, dirt, Luke, dirt, but then another suspect caught her eye, Taylor. Luke, dirt, Taylor, Luke, dirt, Taylor…

"Lorelai," He was standing with the door to the diner open. "Maybe you should come get some coffee." Luke it was. Jess's stupidity was spreading, that mixed with the fact that Luke had no clue how to deal with women to begin with.

"I don't want coffee!" She screamed at him, her eyes turning a fiercely dark blue that made Luke's face falter completely.

"Oh, I thought that's what you came here for." He muttered letting the door drop closed again.

"IT IS!" She shouted, swinging the door open and storming inside, Luke catching it just before it slammed. He found his balance and followed her, leaning against a chair that hung upside down for support as she glared at him. He waited for her gaze to shift to something else or the look to lighten but only succeeded in getting her to look at him like in complete inferiority.

"What?" He demanded.

"Coffee!" She scoffed rolling her eyes. "GOD!"

"But you just said-" He bit back.

"You know nothing about women!" She yelled, slamming her fist against the counter.

"What does that have to do with you wanting or not wanting coffee?" He pressed a hand against his forehead.

"I always want coffee! _You_ should have known _I _was lying!" He stared at her in disbelief and she didn't cease to return the look, finally he shook his head and walked behind the counter. "And don't you dare attempt at another 'maybe she can't tell its decaff_'_ stunt, I am _so _not in the mood!"

"Gee sorry," He returned, clanking an empty mug down. "I couldn't tell."

"Ooo, funny, did you pick up you nephew's sarcastic streak?" She offered.

"Well you've picked up Rory's teen drama antics, so why shouldn't I?" She bit her lip in frustration as he filled the coffee pot.

"I am _SO_ not over dramatic!" She argued, settling her hands on her hips. He gave her a look and went back to filling the coffee pot. "I'm not!" She insisted and Luke looked in her direction, amused. She was about to protest more loudly when he pointed behind her. She turned around cautiously, hands still on hips to let him know they weren't finished when she saw Kirk standing in front of her with a shocked expression on his face. She bit her lip again, this time to keep from laughing.

"How dare you!" Kirk howled and she let a stiff giggle out of her mouth. Taking both hands off her hips to cover the ones soon to come. "If you change the time you open you tell me!"

"Kirk," Luke began.

"Wait!" Kirk's eyes widened even farther. "ARE YOU TWO TOGETHER?"

"Of course-" Lorelai began and Kirk shrieked.

"I'm so sorry!" He apologized, tripping over a chair in his attempt to back towards the door. "I'll just get out of your way." He then proceeded to run off, in very much the same fashion as Jess except in the direction of Ms. Patty's dance studio.

"Well…the whole town will know by my normal waking time." Lorelai observed, turning more happily back to Luke.

"Anyone who says anything gets kicked out." Luke stated, turning back to the coffee.

"Well, considering Stars Hollow is known for its discretion, the diner should be unusually full."

"So are you going to hit me with something if I pour you a cup of coffee?" He asked.

"Maybe," She considered. "But only if it's decaff."

He sighed in annoyance and she giggled, "Of course princess."

"Hey, all I want is everything," She stuck her tongue out.

- - -

"Rory!" Jess called as she attempted to run off the bridge. "Rory, come on!"

"NO!" She shouted running the other way.

"I need to talk to you." He huffed, keeping about three feet behind her.

"Too bad, too sad, I don't wanna talk to you." She hissed, swerving right and practically knocking Jess off his feet as he followed her violent change of direction.

"It's important." He reared back to avoid running into a dog standing in front of the gazebo. "THERE'S A DOG!" Rory turned around and blinked at him.

"What?" She deadpanned.

"There's a dog in front of me!" He clarified pointing down. "And I can't run over it! I like dogs, and he's looking at me all funny and I don't know what to do. 'Cause I can't follow you anymore without hitting him and he's just a stupid damn dog and it isn't his fault and I really, really think we should talk but he's kinda cute and I've got the sudden urge to pet him and look!" He pointed at the dog again. "He's wagging his tail." Jess looked at her. "Please don't run away from the stupid dog, it's not his fault."

She blinked again, "I think he's a stray." She walked over and kneeled down, looking for any I.D. Her eyes widened, "I don't think Stars Hollow ever had a stray before." The big black dog proceeded to lick her hand as she stroked his fur slightly. "Wow, he is cute." He looked up at her and panted. "Oh, and look he has beautiful brown eyes…and he's looking at me with them! LOOK!"

"I see," Jess smirked.

"I would run away from you again but then," Rory shot a glance at the dog. "I'd have to leave this girl with you and no girl deserves to be left with you."

Jess nodded, "Understandable."

"And your such a good girl, aren't you, sweetie?" Rory cooed, rubbing the dog's ears. "As you a pretty puppy? Who's a pretty puppy? You is, isn't you?"

"You're gonna scare her with that voice you do realize, don't you?" Jess laughed, sitting down on the other side of the dog.

Rory glared at him. "Why are you still here?" He shrugged. "Go away."

"I still need to talk to you." He reminded putting a hand on the dog's back only to have her slap it away.

"I don't wanna talk to you." She sighed.

"Yeah," He said quietly. "You said that already.

"HEY!" She cried. "That's not fair. I get to be mad. Me! Me, me, ME!" She slapped his hand off the dog again. "YOU! _You_ are the one who ran away! _You_ don't get to be sad! _You _gave up! Not me!"

"I didn't-" He began.

"You said you'd call!" She shouted.

"I did!" He defended.

"You dialed a few numbers and I had to let _you _down. That's not how it's supposed to work. When you call, _you're _supposed to give the explanation. I'm supposed to be the one who says, 'Why? Why did you leave?' And you're supposed to say, 'I'm sorry, Rory.' And I'm supposed to yell at you, which, yeah, I did, and I'm not supposed to get nothing. I deserved something!"

"I know you did-"

"I'm not finished yet!" She snarled and the dog barked at her. "Sorry, girl." She calmed down a bit, "I wasn't the one who was supposed to have to tell you goodbye."

"I know," He muttered. "I didn't want to tell you goodbye though." The dog growled suddenly towards the road and Rory and Jess looked up. Dean stood on the pavement looking over at them. "Perfect," Jess grumbled.

"Hi Dean," Rory muttered uncomfortably.

"Hey Ror," Dean smiled. Jess clenched his teeth, _her name's Rory jackass, already a nickname for Lorelai. It doesn't need to be any shorter_. "Are you-?"

"Um, Jess and I were just talking about the dog." She motioned to the ball of long black fur next to her. "We think it's a stray."

"Oh," Dean nodded, "Well, if you need help with this little puppy," Dean went to pet the dog and it snarled and barked frantically as Rory held him by the neck.

"Good dog," Jess smirked, stroking the dog's ear as Dean glared at him.

"We'll just ask," Rory reassured, hitting Jess with her free arm. "Thanks Dean."

"Anytime," Dean smiled and slowly walked back in the general direction of Doose's.

"I hate him." Jess muttered, pulling up some of the grass next to him.

"I'd say the feeling is mutual." Rory rolled her eyes.

"The dog hates him too," Jess pointed out.

"So?" Rory glared at him.

"Animals are the best judge of character," He acknowledged.

"Yet for some strange reason it likes you," Rory quipped. "I'm bringing her home." She stood up and started walking, "Come on, sweetie." The dog just rolled over into jess lap, lifting its paw up to let him rub its stomach. "Come on, be a good girl and come to Rory."

"Um, Rory, I think…" Jess grinned. "I _know_ this dog is a boy."

"How do you…?" Rory asked getting closer and looking. "Oh god, it's a boy, definitely a boy." She felt a sudden flush take over her cheeks and backed away instantly. _Don't let him do this to you, _her head willed the rest of her body. _You can't let him do this._

"Well, come on then boy." The dog stood up and so did Jess. "What are you doing, I was talking to the dog."

He nodded, "_My _dog." Rory felt her jaw drop to the ground as she watched him smirk.

"He's a stray," She managed to say. Jess nodded again, his smirk only deepening and annoying Rory more. "A stray." She repeated.

"Well he was…" He paused for dramatic effect, "Then I found him, so he's mine."

"I found him!" She argued, balling her fists.

"Nope," He shook his head. "I almost ran into him. I found him."

She stared at him blankly for a minute before screaming, "Not fair! He's the first stray dog I have _ever_ heard of in Stars Hollow! He's _mine_!"

"Finder's keepers," Jess shrugged.

"I found him," She stated yet again.

"Why do you even want him?" He muttered. "He doesn't like Dean, wouldn't exactly work well for you would he?" She felt her forehead crinkle.

"Dean's getting married," She acknowledged somberly.

"Funny he's still trying to make sure there's nothing going on between us, isn't it?" He bit.

"HEY! You…" She trailed off. "No, I'm not letting you turn it into that. This is about the dog, not us."

"So there is an 'us'?" He smirked again, causing Rory to scowl.

"Let's just figure out the dog, okay?" He sighed dramatically, receiving another well deserved glare.

"Fine," He pouted sarcastically.

"You can't exactly keep him in Luke's apartment. It's a little small for such a big dog, isn't it?"

"I'm sure I can convince him to let me have a dog." He waved his hand. "Then he wouldn't have to come up and check on me, because being the good child that I am I'd never dare do anything with the dog in the room."

"Funny," She glared. "Real funny. Maybe I should put this to town vote because I'm sure Taylor would love letting the stray hoodlum in the leather jacket take care of the stray dog when he'll probably run off before it's time to feed it for the first time!"

Jess rolled his eyes, "What happened to not letting this be about us?"

Rory took three steps forward, "There was no us in the ruin of our relationship!" She screamed. "You gave up! You went to California! You never said goodbye!"

"I know!" He interrupted. "I know! I was stupid! I still am stupid…" He sunk down in the grass. "I shouldn't have come back…it's only going to hurt you." He paused as Rory looked up down at him with glassy eyes, slowly squatting down to his level. "Rory, you know you're the last person I ever wanted to hurt. You're the only one who understands anything about the real world in this god damn circus town."

"I know," She admitted in a low voice. "I'm sorry I blamed you, it's not all you're fault."

"No, it is," He disagreed. "You wanted to know, and I was stupid enough not to trust you with the truth."

"Well," She cleared her throat. "We still have to do something about the dog." He nodded, "Oh!" She exclaimed excitedly. "Know what he needs?"

"What?" He smiled slightly.

"A name," She declared.

"A name," He repeated. "That's not a bad idea."

"Hmm," She tapped her fingers on the dog's head. "Midnight."

Jess wrinkled his nose in disgust, "You're the kind of person who would name a kitten Fluffy or Mittens, aren't you?"

"You're right, too common." She nodded.

"Njord," He offered.

"God of the sea?" Rory laughed. "For a dog?"

"You're right, too emo."

"Way too emo," She nodded. "How about Tag?"

"Tag?" Jess raised his left eyebrow. "Reeling to your inner six-year-old?"

"No," She objected trying to hide her grin. "It's German."

"For day," He nodded. "Still, why?"

"I read this book in sixth grade called _Behind the Bedroom Wall_," He looked at her questioningly. "I was going through my second Holocaust faze," She explained and he nodded. "And the German girl had a cat she hadn't named and she hated the Jewish girl who lived behind her dresser and then the little Jewish girl named the cat Tag because she only got to see it during the day. And the dog…" She gestured to the dog. "Looks like night, so it would be ironic if we named him for the day you can't see in him."

"I like it," He decided.

"Good," She smiled then regained a slight sense she was supposed to be mad at him added, "I was going to call him that whether you liked it or not."

"He's my dog," He insisted once again.

"So you keep saying," She rolled her eyes, letting herself fall back against the grass and into silence with both mobs of black hair next to her.

"I got my GED." She blinked and sat up to stare at him.

"Wow," She blinked again. "Finally starting to live up to your potential."

"Starting?" He smirked.

"Yep," She confirmed. "I expect college and a three figure salary."

"Well, the college thing might not be so far off." She smiled at him. "I applied to start second semester at a few places."

"Have you told Luke yet?"

"Nah, figure I'll just use it one day when he's rambling about how I read more then anyone else he knows and that crap." He shrugged. "I don't know, just thinking about it, gives me an excuse to get away from here."

"Yeah," She smiled softly. "It's what you've always wanted, right?"

"Yeah," He nodded slowly. "I mean, you start Yale today, right?" She blinked.

"NO!" She shouted jumping up. "I'm late! I must be late! And I still need duct tape _and _tacks." He just stared at her. "_Both_!"

"So I've heard." He muttered.

"Come on!" She pulled at his arm, trying to drag him up. "Help me get Tag home!" She yanked it.

"Ow, alright, I'm up." He acknowledged, spring to his feet.

"And don't you dare go talking about how it's your dog because-"

"Shared custody," He interrupted. "I got it."

"Up!" She demanded of the dog who followed Jess's lead. "Now let's go!" She started down the street, the dog trotting merrily behind, followed by an amused looking Jess.

- - -

"Alright," Rory sighed at her doorstep. "Now you might want to, uh, scoot before my mother sees you."

"Fine but next weekend I fully expect to meet to discuss the dog." He knelt down to pet the said canine. "Bye Tag." He stood up, staring at Rory. "Bye."

"Yeah," She nodded. "Bye." She watched him walk away turning back once to wave. "Mother!" She cried, seconds later storming in with the dog.

"Bedroom!" Lorelai responded from somewhere near the kitchen. Rory followed the voice and Tag followed Rory, she walked into her room to see Lorelai sitting in her room.

"What are you doing in here?" Rory inquired.

"Why do you have a dog?" Lorelai asked.

"It's a stray." Her daughter stated.

"A stray?" Lorelai's eyes widened excitedly.

"I know." Rory smiled, sitting down next to her and putting her best pout on, "Can I keep him? _PLEASE?_"

Lorelai laughed, "He's perfect. I'm going to need something to keep me sane while you're at Yale."

"True," Rory nodded. "You'll have to visit him while he's at Luke's."

Lorelai blinked, "Why would he be at Luke's?"

"Jess and I are kinda having differences in opinion to who found him." Rory frowned.

"Ah, Jess." Lorelai sighed. "What' going on with that?"

"Well, he's taking responsibility for leaving and…" Rory trailed off.

"What?" Her mother questioned with a concerned tone.

"I don't know…we didn't really talk about it." Rory mumbled.

"Oh no." Lorelai exhaled. "Please tell me nothing happened."

"Not that, the first time we got into it, Dean interrupted us. He was walking to work and I told him that we were just talking about the dog," She answered her mother's questioning eyes. "Which we then preceded to do and we were having ownership issues and we got a little too personal about it." Her mother motioned for her to continue, "And then he said it was his fault and I felt bad because he looked so sad-"

"But he deserves to be hurt! It was his fault!" Lorelai interjected.

"I know," Rory agreed. "I was just being the bigger person."

"Good," Lorelai nodded with a small smile. "Now let us bring your bigger person to the big smart college."

"Yeah." Rory grinned. "Look out Yale, here comes Rory Gilmore!"


End file.
